


Under Pressure

by alphatoothless



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-19 05:06:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5954698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphatoothless/pseuds/alphatoothless
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She was perfect to him. </p><p>And that made him furious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not his.

He stormed down the dark hallway, anger taking full control of his senses. He slammed his fist into the wall. Anger continued to rise. He slammed it again. His hand throbbed. Anger reached new peaks. 

A droid shook and started the other direction. Storm troopers had already peeked around the corner and decided it best not to interrupt their superior.  
Another fist to the metal. 

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Eventually lightsaber met wall, the searing metal melting to the grated floor. Breathing heavily, the man growled. Anger only partially subsided, he backed into the other wall, staring at his latest art. The destruction of yet another hallway. The thought started another bubbling of anger within him.  
First, the traitorous trooper, then this...this girl, then...then what? 

He'll admit it, his anger had reached new levels, lately. With the traitor storm trooper running around with the Rebels, their defenses were undergoing severe changes. If things weren't horrible enough, this girl seemingly comes out of nowhere with this unimaginable power and no way to truly understand it. She could fight him with Skywalker's lightsaber perfectly fine. It called to her. 

She was perfect to him. 

That made him furious.

His own father couldn't even keep to his mother. Love was this elusive concept to him, and to find someone who actually gave him these strange emotions only infuriated him. He didn't want to love. He didn't want a repeat of his family. His own mother almost detested it, but always ran back to his father whenever he returned from his adventures across the galaxy. He could always smell the other women on him. It was disgusting. Against true nature, really. But now, now he had to deal with a true woman who challenged him. Made him have to prove something. And then she runs off with that storm trooper? It wasn't fair! How dare she? 

How his father...no, Han Solo, seemed to warm up to her so quickly. Almost taking her under his wing like he was the daughter he never had. Sickening. She doesn't even understand. She would never understand. And how that Storm Trooper seemed to constantly be by her side. Horrific. She was pure all on her own. Fiery. Independent. 

And not his. 

Another scowl at the wall, and he finally started down the hallway again. Maybe she wouldn't love him, but she certainly would be his. He'd be better to her than his own father was for his mother. 

There was just something...like he was complete with her there. It was impossible, there was no way it could happen. But he could sense it in his blood, and now she was gone. But it was there. The connection snapped alive, and he knew. He had to find her. 

He scowled. His father was now dead. Then with the removal of this girl from the clutches of the Rebels, he could finally finish his training and fulfill his grandfather's dream. 

His boots continued to hit the grated floor, causing a clicking noise with each step. His mask remained in place, and he breathed deeply when he reached the main quarters. Storm troopers eyed him nervously. 

"Where's the map of the potential rebel bases? Get it to me immediately." He growled. 

...

Perhaps this wasn't the best idea.

Rey stood in front of an old man dressed in robes as he stared back at her. Almost in awe, he blinked and walked closer.

"You finished the map?" A raspy voice finally emitted from the elderly man.

"Yes, sir. I'm here to train with you. I'm told I need your guidance." Rey watched as Luke Skywalker frowned.

"I'm sorry, I don't train anyone anymore." 

"We need your help. The First Order-it's...the Rebellion needs you." Rey was at a loss. How could she fit the entirety of this war, of what happened to her, into a summarized explanation? She had no idea how long he's been gone for. There was no way, and the Skywalker already seemed lost. 

"Where's Leia? Han Solo?" Luke glanced behind Rey.

"General Organa is back at the rebel base. Han...Han Solo is dead." Rey's voice died out softly. 

The Skywalker's eyes seemed to fade then, the frown growing.

"I'm was Ben, wasn't it?" 

Rey nodded slowly. 

"Come, then. Let me make you food and we can talk. It's been a very long time." Luke directed her toward the cliff again, climbing down the numerous steps. 

Rey thought it strange, how this Jedi knight remained so isolated for decades. Training, sleeping, surviving in absolute loneliness. She understood that feeling. A wave of sympathy and the wish to learn more about this Jedi rose within her. 

Night had conquered the land, the Stars rising high above the sky. Luke listened to Rey recounter the loss of his best friend after a day of stories and listening to how things had changed with their comparison of stories. Luke closed his eyes. 

"I had felt a disturbance, that something had happened that was so awful, I had been in such hopes that it hadn't been him." 

Rey watched the Luke take a moment of silence to remember his friend; she couldn't understand such a friendship. Han was a really interesting man with a personality unlike any other, that was for sure. He promised her a life unlike the one she'd been living. And because of him, her journey to find her family had finally taken a large step forward. She was forever grateful to the man. But this love his friends felt for him, she couldn't understand because she'd never experienced such a love. 

Finn was her first friend, although he was clumsy and strange in his ways. She'd hoped she'd see him again soon. Poe was also hilarious, fierce, and an incredible friend. Maybe their camaraderie would meet this level of love one day. 

Silence filled the room as Luke contemplated something then stood. 

"Come with me." 

Rey nodded and stood, following Luke out of the small hut and ultimately onto the same patch of land they first met. 

"I want to you to lift that rock." Luke pointed at a small hand-sized rock in between them. 

Rey blinked, looking down. How was that even possible? Lifting a rock? 

"Remove the doubt in your mind." Luke stated, almost as if he could read her mind.

Rey stared at the rock, focusing so heavily. When the rock didn't budge, she closed her eyes and concentrated harder. After a moment, she opened one of her eyes to see the rock barely gravitate above the ground. Luke had a small smile on his face.

"We begin training first thing in the morning." 

....

Finn smiled. The Rebel base had defenses that were so much more stronger than they used to be. He wiped away sweat as he continued walking, monitoring the progress of the new defense towers. 

He did worry about Rey. She was off to see Luke, but he wondered when she would come back...if she would come back.

He really hoped she would.

She was one of his first friends. Well, other than Poe. 

Speaking of which, where was he?

Finn glanced around the landing area, sweeping through the clusters of people joking or working. 

A quick radio ring distracted him as he was quick to grab it.

"Finn, we need you at HQ. Something's come up." 

"10-4." Finn glanced around one more time before finally starting toward the double doors. 

Something felt off.


	2. The Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're mine, scavenger."

It was the third planet they'd searched with no signs of any Rebellion base. It had been weeks since the rigorous search had started, the map of Luke Skywalker was still the highest priority, and they knew once they found one base, they'd find the others. Unfortunately, searches of entire planets were difficult, and the rebels had improved their defensive mechanisms drastically. The tensions were quickly rising the longer the search continued and Kylo Ren was seething. 

He could sense her. He could feel her. When their eyes met it was a snap in the force between them. Ever since then he could sense her. It didn't make sense to him, but he didn't want to ask his Master about it just yet. He wanted to discover it for himself first. 

He could feel her growing stronger. Sometimes it woke him at night, her power and just how pure she was. The light side of the force was becoming stronger now, and he could feel himself becoming conflicted at night. He hated it. 

But a part of him wondered if she could feel him too.

He could feel her thoughts, her frustrations and her laughs. It was strange. She was so light, so innocent, so determined. Sometimes he dreamed of her, but he could never see what she was doing. 

She was everything he tried to find in the dark side. 

She was it. He gritted his teeth. His entire being was growing enraged the longer he was away. If only he hadn't met her, he wouldn't be feeling this way. He thought his mate was dead. He prayed they were dead. But there she was, in the middle of space where he couldn't reach her and his body was going insane.

Hux seemed to detect it, as he continually watched the man grow more and more anxious each day.

"You've seemed very on edge lately, even for yourself." 

It was more a statement than an actual question, but Kylo Ren turned regardless to see Hux stare at the control grid.

"What are you saying?" 

"Maybe go take a break. You've been glaring at the same metal floor for an hour now." Hux glanced at him nonchalantly and then turned. 

Growling, Kylo Ren turned and left the room. In some ways he did appreciate Hux's ways of consideration. Although cold, he was really the only one unmoved by Kylo Ren's anger. 

While he started down the hallway toward his quarters, he felt a pull. But then suddenly the pull was so strong and so intense he landed on the floor holding his head. It just kept forcing itself, and he felt a rush of emotions suddenly hit him, frustration, excitement, sadness, happiness, it was all so sudden and he wanted to yell out. What was happening? What was this? 

When it finally partially subsided, he continued holding his head as he stood up. He immediately leaned against the wall. 

Rey...? 

...

"Rey, you need to focus."

Rey closed her eyes, breathing slowing as she stayed sitting. She could feel it, the world around her. She could feel energy. 

"Good, now feel the force." 

She focused, the feeling of being surrounded by this strange push. It gripped her, and suddenly a wave of panic arose her and she gasped, opening her eyes and leaning forward quickly as she was gulping air.

Luke stared at her. He knew how hard it could be at first. Meditation took practice, it was so much to take in at first. It had only been a few weeks, but she was already doing so well with her physical training. But feeling the force, that's what took the longest for her. 

There was something else, too. He couldn't place it, but it was a familiar push whenever he was near her. Something was pulling for her, and she was subconsciously pulling for whatever it was connected to. She seemed completely unaware of it, but he had a good feeling that it had been causing trouble for her concentration. 

Rey calmed herself and returned to her sitting position. She inhaled, then closed her eyes once again. She would not disappoint her new master. She felt a newfound determination as she focused harder. She felt her entire body relax. She focused on the waves of the ocean hitting against the bottom of the cliff. She focused on the wind. She put her sole being in feeling nature around her. It was so different from Jakku. 

Then she felt it. The tug. She didn't understand it. It tugged harder. She refused to give up and she stood her ground. This feeling, it was so strange. Like someone was searching for her. Her family? No, something else entirely. 

It seemed so frustrated. Desperate. 

She tried to concentrate on it. She could feel how whatever it was seemed to grasp her hand, and her heart ached slightly. She felt it tug one more time before stopping altogether. 

"Master, I can't do this-" Rey stood up, only to realize it was night. A torch was lit beside her with a cloth. She blinked, opening the cloth to find half a loaf of bread and a small cup of beans. 

She felt a small victory come upon her. Normally her meditation only lasted but mere minutes. She felt like she might actually be learning, be coming closer to understanding the Force. 

She decided to stay a little longer, taking a bite out of the loaf and staring across the ocean. It was beautiful, especially when the two moons' light hit the very surface of it. It was a sight Rey truly loved. 

That pull though, she felt it before. When she and Kylo Ren battled in the forest, she felt it then. But even before, when they first met, it had hit her. She didn't understand it, but she could sense that it was important. She hadn't told Luke yet, because she didn't really understand it herself, how could she explain it without sounding insane? 

She scooted closer to the edge, feeling the cool breeze on her face and she relaxed. Kylo Ren...he seemed like a monster to her. An animal, really. She didn't understand his hatred of Han Solo, or why he killed him. She couldn't hear anything, but she did hear the sound of lightsaber against flesh, and when Han collapsed, she felt horrified. Her first instinct was to just run. Run back to Jakku, find a spaceship and just try to make it back. But in her something told her otherwise.

A part of her stared at Kylo Ren with a curious emotion. She felt something...strange. And Kylo Ren must have felt similarly because he immediately snapped his head up to stare at her. It was then that Chewy started to wreak havoc. 

Inhaling, she stood up and grabbed the cloth and remaining food. She would ask her master about it in the morning. She needed to know.

...  
"We have an issue." Leia frowned.

A map of the base and planet came up then, translucent but easily seen. Red dots approached slowly to one of the Rebel planets. 

"Those are First Order ships. We don't know if they've detected them yet, but we need to be ready for one helluva battle." Leia turned to the other soldiers, watching their faces grow with determination.

"Our defenses are better than ever, thanks to Finn. But we need to prepare the other bases to send their troops, and we need to secure their base. If anything, we need a great offense for when they do detect us, so we can knock them out immediately." 

"I'll handle the offense."

Finn turned to see Poe smirking, helmet in hand as he rode his hand. Relief washed over him. He couldn't lose both his friends. Poe glanced at Finn then, winking when they made eye contact. 

Blushing, Finn quickly gave a smile and turned back to Leia. 

"Great, thank you Poe. Alright, Finn, gather a team to go to the other base and begin securing their defense. Poe, start training and getting the ships ready."

Leia continued to assign tasks, quickly adjourning the meeting as everyone rushed out to start their tasks. Poe quickly grabbed Finn's arm and took him aside.

"Hey, I haven't seen you in a while!" 

Finn laughed, nodding in agreement. 

"I know! It's been crazy with all the advancements. Rey hasn't even returned and it's been forever." Finn smiled when Poe seemed to think over something.

"Well, I truly hope we kick some First Order ass. Maybe Rey will even come in time for the party." 

"Hopefully. Let's head out, from what Commander Organa said, we only have a few days to prepare." 

Poe whipped out his radio, calling orders while Finn started down the corridor to pack for his trip. 

...

Rey's concentration quickly broke, she could feel it. She turned to Luke who breathed heavily.

"Master..." 

"I felt it too. A disturbance in the force." Luke stood up. Rey followed.

"What do we do?" Rey picked up her lightsaber and carefully put it on her holster. It was handmade, as Luke and her had travelled across the planet looking for the correct materials. It took two weeks to create, and she was only given it when she was completely ready. 

"It's time to return." Luke looked hesitant, but he knew.

Rey nodded, then started toward her hut to pack. 

Luke stared out at the planet's ocean. Isolation had changed him. But he wouldn't let another of his family fall. 

It was time. 

...

Blaster shots flew everywhere. Storm troopers fell and some advanced. He deflected shots when he could, his mask hiding his growing irritation. 

A rebel attempted to make a break toward the troopers but was immediately killed. 

He knew his mother wasn't on this base. He was secretly relieved. But he couldn't sense Rey. The amount of people made it difficult for him to focus, and with shots flying everywhere he couldn't stay still and concentrate. 

Another Rebel fell and he used the force to grab the blaster from across the room. He fired a shot near a Rebel, making him jump and run. He was finally killed by a shot in the neck.

That's when he heard it.

The sound of a lightsaber coming to life. 

He then saw a flash of green and Rey was then first on the line, deflecting firing at her comrades. They looked grateful as they smiled at her presence. 

Kylo Ren stood then, his own lightsaber screeching on. She turned to him then, and the world around them seemed to stop.

Their eyes met and then it hit.

She was the first to come at him, their lightsabers met with a crackle and he smirked. 

Their lightsabers met with more crackles, snapping and hissing as Rey continued forward. They dodged the people around them easily, their soldiers defending them as they fought, dark versus light. 

But the fight meant more to the two Jedi than the sizzle of lightsabers against each other. It was a dance. Kylo Ren's mask remained firmly in place, his breathing sounding robotic as it hissed his heavy breaths. 

"You're mine, scavenger." 

Rey lunged forward.

Finn fired the blaster, causing the storm troopers to fall before him. He knew Rey was here. He could feel it somehow. But finding her proved difficult. Poe was outside mowing down soldiers and ships, he was worried about him too.

Another wave of storm troopers were taken down and he started marching forward. That's when he saw it.

Green against red.

His breath caught as Rey held her ground against the Sith. He could hear him say something and Rey seemed to ignore him. 

"Rey!" Finn tried to run toward her, only to be suddenly aware of just how dangerous this area was.

Storm troopers defended the battle of their Sith Lord, but were being taken down by the Rebel forces. There was no way he could reach Rey, and even if he could what would he do? Rey and Kylo Ren seemed to be in their own world, representing dominance in their sides.

A trooper rushed around the corner and was taken down immediately.

The blaster ringing in his ears didn't cease.

That's when he saw it. Rey took charge, lunged at Kylo Ren and tackled him to the ground. She stood quickly, a boot resting on his chest and lightsaber directed at his neck. 

Finn wanted to rush forward, but he was quickly tackled by a trooper. A bullet fired through the stomach, Finn tossed the trooper to the side. 

He quickly scrambled up but the two Jedi were gone.

...

They were standing in the snow, almost a repeat of before. It was almost silent besides the firing in the distance and their heavy breaths from running. 

He had flipped her, and he started out of the base and into the forest. Rey ran after him, hearing silence slowly fill the air as she followed. 

He turned then, his breaths heavy as the robotic hissing came from his helmet. Silence stayed between them as the whirring from their lightsabers filled the air.

Neither truly knew what to say. Rey knew exactly why he went for the woods. She knew everything, and she'd prepared for it. 

___  
"Rey, I don't know how to tell you this..."

Rey sat on the patch of grass, frowning.

"...You're bonded. I have a feeling it's to Kylo Ren, from what you've told me. I could sense it when you first started your training."

"Bonded?" Rey shifted.

"The force has a strange way of connecting us all. But...bonding occurs when two Jedi are destined to be connected. They...are in a way meant for each other. It's something that can't be broken until death." Luke sighed when Rey's eyes widened.

"It's rare, not everyone experiences it. But...you have it. And it could be because you're destined to save the Light side of the force and he's become the strongest Sith Jedi. I'm not entirely sure. In my travels and readings I have only seen it once." Luke sat in front of Rey as it began to settle in her mind. 

"If he dies..." 

"Then you do." 

Rey held her head. 

"So you mean to tell me that I'm bonded life and death with that monster?" Rey spat.

"It could be for a reason. He's not lost entirely to the dark side. You could be his way of coming to the light side." 

Rey laid on her back. She could feel a range of emotions bubble in her. Anger. Sadness. Anxiety. 

"How can he come back? He killed Han Solo, and who knows what else he's done. He's a monster!"

Luke breathed carefully. He was well aware of his old student's dark tendencies. He wished he had seen it earlier. The horrified expressions of Han and Leia burned in his mind when Ben had run away and they'd found him with the First Order. 

"But I must warn you, you must listen to me Rey."

Rey sat up.

"He will try to corner you if he knows what this is, which I am very sure he does. You must stay strong. Don't let his influence affect you. He will try to turn you with the bond if he knows he can't kill you. Which is why we will be definitely preparing you more with the Force."

Rey remembered the exercises, the long days and nights, she trained relentlessly with Luke. 

___

Now she stood in front of Kylo Ren as he stared at her through his mask. She could feel his push, feel his persuasion, his desperation.

"You already know, don't you?" The metallic voice broke the silence.

Rey just nodded.

"Come with me then. I can take care of you. I can teach you even more about the Force." Kylo Ren reached his hand out.

Rey looked at his hand then met the mask again.

"We may be bonded, but that means nothing to me. I don't want anything to do with you."

Kylo Ren felt a slight stab of heartache. Then he felt anger.

"You're mine. My Uncle did teach you about it, did he not? Together we could be invincible. You can't just back out of this." He hissed.

Rey narrowed her eyes. She stormed up to him, catching him off guard.

"Yours? I belong to no one. We may be forced together by a connection, but I still hate your very existence. You're an animal, a monster. You kill for sport. You're weak and despicable." Rey spat, pushing him backward into the snow.

"If I could have chosen I would never have been bonded to the likes of you. Others might think you have a chance at changing, but I believe otherwise. You're just a coward!"

Kylo Ren ripped his mask off, and Rey could see him seething as his breath fogged the air. 

Never before had she felt a force so terrifying. 

Maybe the bond wouldn't protect her, after all.


End file.
